Wheel attachment for boats



June 3, 1947. W, A, WEST 2,421,671

WHEEL ATTACHMENT FOR BOATS Filed Oct. 25, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l Z7 Z6 a o o V U@ 0;' u

June 3, 1947. w. A. wEsT WHEEL ATTACHMENT FOR BOATS Filed Oct. 25, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patentedl June 3, 1947 'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WHEEL ATTACHMENT FORVBOATS William A. West, Pine Bluil, Ark. Application ctober Z5, 1944, Serial No. 560,264

Claims. (Cl. 9-1) This invention relates to a carriage or wheel attachment for boats and it is an object of the invention to provide an attachment of this kind whereby a boat may be readily transported upon the land without requiring the boat to be loaded upon a trailer or other carrier.

Another object of the invention is to provide an attachment for boats wherein the boat can be converted into a land craft without requiring the use of tools and whereby such conversion can be effected within a minimum of labor.

Furthermore it is an object of the invention to provide an attachment of this kind including a ground engaging element together with means whereby such element may be effectively held in travel position or readily moved into a position within the boat or, when desired, entirely separated from the boat.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved carriage or wheel attachment for boats whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying'drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in top plan of a boat having applied thereto attachments embodying the invention, the boat being diagrammatically illustrated;

Figure 2 is a View in side elevation of the assembly in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken through Figure 1 in advance of the attachments;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly in section illustrating details of an attachment;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view partly in section and partly in elevation showing an attachthough the invention is not to be limited for use in connection with any particular type of boat.

- or from the flange 1.

With each side wall of the boat at substantially the longitudinal center thereof is adapted to be employed an attachment A embodying the inven- `tion. This attachment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises two major elements one of which is adapted to be secured to a side wall of the boat and the other carrying a ground engaging member and having swivel connection with the first element.

The element for mounting on the side wall of the boat comprises a, plate 3 of required dimensions and which is relatively wide and of a length to extend from substantially the bottom ofthe wall I to the top thereof. 'I'his plate 3 at its top or upper end is provided with the upstanding and relatively short arms 4 provided at their free extremities with the bearing sleeves 5. 'I'hese sleeves 5 are above the gunwale of the boat with the bores thereof in alinement. l

The lower end of each plate 3 iis joined to a relatively long plate 6 adjacent to but inwardly of an end thereof, which underlies the bottom 2 of the boat and is secured thereto. The lower end of the plate 3 is also provided with an outwardly directed flange 'I which is provided in one edge portion with the open slot 8.

The opposite edge of the flange Iremote from the outer or open end of the slot 8, has secured theretoy b-y a securing element 9, an end of a lock lever I0, said securement 9 allowing the lock lever I0 to have free swinging movement toward The outer or free extremity of the lever I0 is provided with a depending hook bill I I for a purposeto be hereinafter more particularly referred to.

Freely disposed through an intermediate portion of the lever II is an upstanding shank I2 carried by the flange 'I and this shank I2 above the lever I0 is provided with an enlargement or head I4. Interposed between this enlargement or head I4 and the lever I0 is an expansible member I5 herein disclosed as comprising a coil spring surrounding the shank I2. This member or spring I5 serves to constantly urge the lever I0 toward the flange I to'maintain the holding lug Il in contact with the flange l inwardly of the slot 8 at a point adjacent to the entrance or open end of the slot.

The second element of the attachment comprises a relatively long arm I6 provided at one end portion with an opening Il through which freely passes a short pivot member I8 extending outwardly at right angles from'the central por` tion of a sleeve I9. This sleeve I9 is of a length sleeves 5 of the plate 3 and a. removable pin 20 is insertable through the bearing sleeves 5 and the sleeve I9. This mounting of the sleeve I9 permits the ready swinging of the member I8 inwardly of the boat B to bring the arm I6 within the boat when desired. It is also believed to be obvious that by means of the removable pin 20 the arm I6 can be easily and Aquickly engagedwith or removed from the plate 3 as may be desired.

The arm I6 is freely supported by the member I8 for swinging movement in a direction lengthwise of the sleeve I9 and the arm I6 is of a length to extend below the flange I when saidv'arm is at the limit of its downward movement as determined by contact of said arm with the inner end of the slot 8 into which it readily enters as the arm I6 swings downwardly. 'Ihe arm I6 in its lower portion is provided with an inwardly directed part of spur 2| which, as the lower portion of the arm I6 enters the slot 8, passes under the hook bill II of the lever I0. When the arm I6 reaches substantially the limit of its movement inwardly of the slot 8, the spur 2| will pass inwardly past the bill II whereupon the expansible member or spring l5 will return the holding bill II into contact with the flange 1 and thus assure the arm I6 being effectively held or locked in its lowered position. When it is desired to release the arm I6, the lever I0 is manually raised and to facilitate this manual operation a flexible reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out member 22 is connected to the outer or free end portion of the lever I0 and of a length to extend within the boat so as to be readily grasped by an occupant of the boat. It is not desired, however, to limit the invention to any particular means for raising the lever I0 or moving the same into released position.

The extreme outer end portion of the arm I6, at a desired distance outwardly with respect to the spur 2|, is provided with an outwardly directed hub 23 of a length to extend beyond the outer margin of the flange 1 when the arm I6 is in its lowered position. Disposed through this hub 23 and the adjacent portion of the arm I6 is the rear end portion of the spindle 24, said spindle having a surrounding shoulder 25 for contact with the outer end of the hub 23 while the outer extremity of said rear portion of the spindle has threaded thereon a clamping nut 26 whereby the spindle 24 is rigidly coupled to the arm I6. It is to be understood, however, that other means may be employed for rigidly mounting the spindle 24 upon the arm I6.

Mounted upon the outer end portion of the spindle 24 is the ground engaging member 21 herein disclosed as a conventional type of wheel.

One end portion of the boat B carries a conventional type of hitch 28 whereby the boat when on the water may be conveniently coupled in tow or with equal facility, when on land, can be coupled to a suitable draft unit. l

It is to be pointed out that with the use of the attachments, as herein embodied, no special bracing of the boat B is required as the weight is carried from the bottom of the boat.

-From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a land traction attachment for boats constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and used, and it will be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modication without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim: I

1. In combination with a side wall of a boat, a member movably mounted on said side wall for position at either side of the side wall and substantially at right angles thereto, a relatively long arm having an end pivotally joined to said member for swinging movement lengthwise of the side wall when said member is in either of its two positions with respect to the wall, a ground engaging member carried by the opposite end of the arm and extending below the boat when the arm is swung downwardly upon the outer side of the side wall, a flange carried by the boat adjacent to the bottom of the boat and extending outwardly with respect to the boat side wall, said ange having an open slot in which the arm enters when swung downwardly and means carried by the flange and operatively engaging the arm after entering the slot to hold the arm against upward swinging movement.

2. In combination with a side wall of a boat, a member movably mounted on saidside wall for position at either side of the side wall and substantially at right angles thereto, a relatively long arm having an end pivotally joined to said member for swinging movement lengthwise of the side wall when said member is in either of its two positions with respect to the wall, a ground engaging member carried by the opposite end of the arm and extending below the boat when the arm is swung downwardly upon the outer sides of the side wall, a flange carried by the boat adjacent to the bottom of the boat, and extending outwardly with respect to the side wall, said flange having an open rearwardly directed slot to receive l the arm as it swings downwardly, a spur carried by the arm to overlie the flange as the arm enters the slot, and a hooked holding lever carried by the plate and adapted to automatically engage said spur to hold the arm against upward swinging movement.

3. A land carriage attachment for a boat, comprising plate means designed to Aextend transversely of and be secured to the under side of a boat and designed to extend at remote ends beyond the outer sides of the boat side walls, a pair of vertical Vplates each secured to the plate inwardly of an extended end thereof and adapted to be secured to the outer side of the adjacent side wall of the boat, the said extended end portions constituting flanges, each of said flanges having a slot formed therein and opening through an edge which is directed toward one end of the boat,

a member pivotally supported upon the upper endr of each vertical plate and above the plane of the top edge of the adjacent side wall of the boat to swing transversely of such side wall to an inwardly or outwardly directed position, a relatively long arm pivotally attached at one end to each member to swing thereon about an axis perpendicular to the axis upon which the member swings, whereby said arm swings in a plane extending lengthwise of the boat when the member is in either of its two positions', the lower end of said arm being adapted to enter the slot of the adjacent flange when the arm is upon the outer side of the boat, a ground engaging supporting member carried by each arm at its other end, and means for establishing a, locking connection he.-

tween each flange and the adjacent arm when the arm ls moved into the ange slot.

4. An attachment for a boat as stated in claim 3, in which the said latching means comprises a.

at its upper end to provide a pair of spaced up- Y wardly extending hinge ears and said members each comprises a hinge sleeve adapted to position 15 5 otally supported thereon.

between the hinge ears, a pivot pin passing through the sleeve and ears, and a pivot member carried by the sleeve and extending at right angles to the sleeve and having the adjacent arm piv- WILLIAM A. WEST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the l0 fue of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name l Date 2,042,598 Harvey June 3, 1936 2,294,109 Donaldson Aug. 25, 1942 

